Charles flamed



C. FLAMBO.

CULTIVATOR YOKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2'6, 1914.

1,1 95,347. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

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CHARLES FLAMIBO, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MOLINE PLOW COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CULTIVATOIt-YOKE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FLA Bo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivator- Yokes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein .to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to cultivator-s, and has reference more particularly to that type of connecting yoke for the cultivator beams, which while causing the beams to swing from side to side in unison, will permit them to be raised and lowered independently of each other, and will enable the beams to be adjusted to and from each other while the machine is in operation.

. The object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which will be of simple construction, and may be operated with quickness and facility to vary the distance between the beams, and in the use of which there will be no projecting or eX- tended parts to obstruct the view of the driver.

.With these ends in view my invention consists in a connecting yoke comprising relatively movable connected members adapted to be operatively connected with the cultivator beams, an arm or projection connected with one member and intersecting the other member, and a locking latch carriedby the last mentioned member and adapted to engage said arm and hold the members releasably in spaced relations.

The invention consists also in mounting the locking latch at a point below the connection of the yokes together; whereby the yoke will be free from projecting parts which would obstruct the view of the driver.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of my improved yoke, showing the same operatively con- 'nected with the cultivator beams. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional elevation on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, my lmproved yoke comprises two members or legs 1 and 2 pivotally connected together at the1r upper ends as at 3 so that they can be moved relatively to and from each other. Carried by the member 1, is a pro ection 5 1n the form of an arm, which is plvoted to the .is slidingly guided and member 1, on an axis 4 extending parallel with the axis 8. This arm extends toward the member 2 so as to intersect the same, and j confined against the side of the member 2, by means of a strap 6 fixed to the member 2 and bent outwardly between its ends to form a guiding opening to receive the arm. The arm is provided in one edge, the upper edge in this instance, with looking teeth 7 between which a lockmg latch 8 mounted on. the member 2, is adapted to engage, and by such engagement to hold the two members in fixed relations spaced apart. This latch may be of any appropriate form and construction adapted for the ends in view, it being preferably in the form of a plate pivoted at one end on a horizontal axis as at 9 to the end of a bracket plate 10 fiXed to and extending forhandle 11, and the parts are so constructed I and related that the weight of the latch will cause it to normally rest on the upper edge of the arm between the teeth therein and effect the locking of the legs, and when lifted to disengage and release the arm, the latch will drop again by gravity into locking engagement with the teeth and will thus antomatically effect the relocking of the parts. As a result of the construction described, the two members are adapted to be held spaced apart and in fixed relations, and may be adjusted to vary the distance between them, by first lifting the latch on its axis to I free its locking edge from between the locking teeth on the arm, then moving the legs closer together or farther apart, as occasion may demand, while holding the latch down, and finally releasing the latch, the weight of which will cause it to automatically engage between the teeth on the arm and effect the relocking of the legs in their adjusted position.

When in use, the yoke stands in an upright position in front of the drivers seat, with its pivoted legs disposed in a plane transverse to the line of travel, and connect ed at their lower ends operatively with the cultivator beams, in the present instance by means of depending round pins pivoted to the lower ends of the legs and seated loosely in sockets in the respective beams. This manner of connecting the legs with the beams, enables the latter to be raised and low ered independently of each other, and to be moved to and from each other in the adjustment of the parts. WVith the yoke thus sup ported, the handle of the locking latch will extend rearwardly within convenient reach of the driver, and'when it is desired to vary the distance between the beams, the driver, without stopping the machine or leaving his seat, merely lifts the handle of the latch and disengages the same from the teeth on the arm. The beams being now released, they can be moved, by the feet of the driver or otherwise, to and from each other, while the handle of the latch is still held up, and when their proper adjustment has been effected, the latch is released, and by its weight it will automatically reengage the teeth on the arm and lock the legs together, with the beams in their new position of adjustment.

The device is simple in construction, free from detachable or removable parts liable to become lost or misplaced, is adapted to be quickly operated to release the parts for adjustment, and is automatic in its action in relocking the parts in their new position; and by reason of the fact that the latch is mounted below the point of connection of the legs together, there will be no projecting parts to obstruct the view of the driver.

Various changes may be made in the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the limits of my invention. For instance, the locking latch may be pivoted at the front instead of at the rear side of the legs; the locking teeth may be formed on the lower edge of the arm instead of. on its upper edge, and the latch may be spring actuated and mounted to engage beneath the arm. Further, the latch may be acted on by a spring to cause it to relock the parts automatically, instead of by gravity. It will be manifest therefore that the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction of the parts, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A connecting yoke for cultivators, comprising two legs pivoted together at their upper ends on a horizontal fore and aft axis and adapted to be operatively connected at their lowerends with the cultivator beams, an arm pivoted to one of said legs on a horizontal fore and aft axis below the first mentioned axis, and intersecting and guided'on the other leg, said arm being provided with teeth on its upper edge, a bracket plate fixed V to the last mentioned leg and'extending forwardly therefrom, and a gravitating locking latch pivoted to the forward end of said bracket plate and extending rearwardly above the said arm to the opposite side of the leg, in position to automatically engage between the teeth on the arm, said arm and latch being disposed wholly below the upper connected ends of the legs.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my,

signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES FLAMBO.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! intents,

Washington, D. 0. 

